SIKORSKY S-92A

St. John's, Newfoundland, March 12, 2009

Event Information

DateMarch 12, 2009
Event TypeACC
LocationSt. John's, Newfoundland
CountryCA
AirportSt. John's International
Highest InjuryFATL
NTSB NumberCEN09RA205
Event ID20090312X15814

Aircraft

MakeSIKORSKY
ModelS-92A
Registration #G-GZCH
OperatorCougar Helicopter Inc.
CategoryHELI
FAR PartNUSC
Aircraft DamageDEST

Conditions

Light Condition-
Weather-

Injuries

Fatal17
Serious1
Minor0
None0
Total Injured18

Probable Cause

Not required for RA.

Full Narrative

On March 12, 2009, about 0926 ADT, Atlantic Daylight Time, a Sikorsky S-92A helicopter, Canadian registry C-GZCH, operated by Cougar Helicopters, impacted the waters of the North Atlantic about 28 miles east of Cape Spear near St. John's, Newfoundland. There were two pilots and 16 passengers on board the helicopter. One passenger survived with serious injuries, but the other occupants were fatally injured. The helicopter was en route from St. John's International Airport (CYYT) to an offshore oil platform in the Hibernia oil field. The pilot made a MAYDAY call due to a mechanical difficulty, and was returning to St. John's at the time of the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the sea state had 3 - 5 meter swells. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.

The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada. Any further information may be obtained from:

Transportation Safety Board of Canada
Place du Centre
200 Promenade du Portage, 4th Floor
Gatineau, Quebec
J8X 4B7

This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained for the Government of Canada.

About This NTSB Record

This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.

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